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G.R. No. 170912.       April 19, 2010.*
                      ROBERT DINO, petitioner, vs. MARIA LUISA JUDAL-
                      LOOT, joined by her husband VICENTE LOOT,
                      respondents.
                           Mercantile Law; Negotiable Instruments Law; Checks;
                      Crossed Checks; The act of crossing a check serves as a warning to
                      the holder that the check has been issued for a definite purpose so
                      that the holder thereof must inquire if he has received the check
                      pursuant to that purpose, otherwise, he is not a holder in due
                      course.—The act of crossing a check serves as a warning to the
                      holder that the check has been issued for a definite purpose so
                      that the holder thereof must inquire if he has received the check
                      pursuant to that purpose; otherwise, he is not a holder in due
                      course. Contrary to respondents’ view, petitioner never changed
                      his theory, that respondents are not holders in due course of the
                      subject check, as would violate fundamental rules of justice, fair
                      play, and due process. Besides, the subject check was presented
                      and admitted as evidence during the trial and respondents did not
                      and in fact cannot deny that it is a crossed check.
                          Civil Procedure; Courts; Jurisdiction; The Court is clothed
                      with ample authority to entertain issues or matters not raised in
                      the lower courts in the interest of substantial justice.—In any
                      event, the Court is clothed with ample authority to entertain
                      issues or matters not raised in the lower courts in the interest of
                      substantial justice. In Casa Filipina Realty v. Office of the
                      President, 241 SCRA 165 (1995), the Court held: “[T]he trend in
                      modern-day procedure is to accord the courts broad discretionary
                      power such that the appellate court may consider matters bearing
                      on the issues submitted for resolution which the parties failed to
                      raise or which the lower court ignored. Since rules of procedure
                      are mere tools designed to facilitate the attainment of justice,
                      their strict and rigid application which would result in
                      technicalities that tend to frustrate rather than promote
                      substantial justice, must always be avoided. Technicality should
                      not be allowed to stand in the way of equitably and completely
                      resolving the rights and obligations of the parties.”
                      _______________
                          * SECOND DIVISION.
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                                                                                         394
                      394              SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
                                                   Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                           Mercantile Law; Negotiable Instruments Law; “Holder in Due
                      Course,” Defined.—Section 52 of the Negotiable Instruments Law
                      defines a holder in due course, thus: “A holder in due course is a
                      holder who has taken the instrument under the following
                      conditions:   (a) That it is complete and regular upon its face; (b)
                      That he became the holder of it before it was overdue, and
                      without notice that it has been previously dishonored, if such was
                      the fact; (c) That he took it in good faith and for value; (d) That at
                      the time it was negotiated to him, he had no notice of any
                      infirmity in the instrument or defect in the title of the person
                      negotiating it.”
                          Same; Same; Checks; Crossed Checks; Principles that must be
                      considered in the treatment of crossed checks.—In the case of a
                      crossed check, as in this case, the following principles must
                      additionally be considered: A crossed check (a) may not be
                      encashed but only deposited in the bank; (b) may be negotiated
                      only once—to one who has an account with a bank; and (c) warns
                      the holder that it has been issued for a definite purpose so that
                      the holder thereof must inquire if he has received the check
                      pursuant to that purpose; otherwise, he is not a holder in due
                      course.
                           Same; Same; Same; Same; “Special Crossed Check,” and
                      General Crossed Check,” Defined; Crossing a check is done by
                      placing two parallel lines diagonally on the left top portion of the
                      check.—Under usual practice, crossing a check is done by placing
                      two parallel lines diagonally on the left top portion of the check.
                      The crossing may be special wherein between the two parallel
                      lines is written the name of a bank or a business institution, in
                      which case the drawee should pay only with the intervention of
                      that bank or company, or crossing may be general wherein
                      between two parallel diagonal lines are written the words “and
                      Co.” or none at all as in the case at bar, in which case the drawee
                      should not encash the same but merely accept the same for
                      deposit. The effect therefore of crossing a check relates to the
                      mode of its presentment for payment. Under Section 72 of the
                      Negotiable Instruments Law, presentment for payment to be
                      sufficient must be made (a) by the holder, or by some person
                      authorized to receive payment on his behalf x x x As to who the
                      holder or authorized person will be depends on the instructions
                      stated on the face of the check.
                                                                                         395
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                                                   Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                           Same; Same; Same; Holder in Due Course; The Negotiable
                      Instruments Law does not provide that a holder who is not a
                      holder in due course may not in any case recover on the
                      instrument; The only disadvantage of a holder who is not in due
                      course is  that the negotiable instrument is subject to defenses as if
                      it were non-negotiable.—The fact that respondents are not holders
                      in due course does not automatically mean that they cannot
                      recover on the check. The Negotiable Instruments Law does not
                      provide that a holder who is not a holder in due course may not in
                      any case recover on the instrument. The only disadvantage of a
                      holder who is not in due course is that the negotiable instrument
                      is subject to defenses as if it were non-negotiable. Among such
                      defenses is the absence or failure of consideration, which
                      petitioner sufficiently established in this case. Petitioner issued
                      the subject check supposedly for a loan in favor of Consing’s
                      group, who turned out to be a syndicate defrauding gullible
                      individuals. Since there is in fact no valid loan to speak of, there
                      is no consideration for the issuance of the check. Consequently,
                      petitioner cannot be obliged to pay the face value of the check.
                      PETITION for review on certiorari of the decision and
                          resolution of the Court of Appeals.
                         The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
                            The Law Firm of Hermosisima & Inso for petitioner.
                            Maderazo & Associates for respondents.
                      CARPIO, J.:
                                                         The Case
                         This is a petition for review1 of the 16 August 2005
                      Decision2 and 30 November 2005 Resolution3 of the Court
                      of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No. 57994. The Court of Appeals
                      affirmed
                      _______________
                         1 Under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court.
                         2 Rollo, pp. 24-32.   Penned by Associate Justice Enrico A. Lanzanas
                      with Associate Justices Arsenio J. Magpale and Sesinando E. Villon,
                      concurring.
                         3 Id., at pp. 34-36.
                                                                                         396
                      396           SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
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                      the decision of the Regional Trial Court, 7th Judicial
                      Region, Branch 56, Mandaue City (trial court), with the
                      deletion of the award of interest, moral damages, attorney’s
                      fees and litigation expenses. The trial court ruled that
                      respondents Maria Luisa Judal-Loot and Vicente Loot are
                      holders in due course of Metrobank Check No. C-MA
                      142119406 CA and ordered petitioner Robert Dino as
                      drawer, together with co-defendant Fe Lobitana as
                      indorser, to solidarily pay respondents the face value of the
                      check, among others.
                                                        The Facts
                         Sometime in December 1992, a syndicate, one of whose
                      members posed as an owner of several parcels of land
                      situated in Canjulao, Lapu-lapu City, approached
                      petitioner and induced him to lend the group P3,000,000.00
                      to be secured by a real estate mortgage on the properties. A
                      member of the group, particularly a woman pretending to
                      be a certain Vivencia Ompok Consing, even offered to
                      execute a Deed of Absolute Sale covering the properties,
                      instead of the usual mortgage contract.4 Enticed and
                      convinced by the syndicate’s offer, petitioner issued three
                      Metrobank checks totaling P3,000,000.00, one of which is
                      Check No. C-MA-142119406-CA postdated 13 February
                      1993 in the amount of P1,000,000.00 payable to Vivencia
                      Ompok Consing and/or Fe Lobitana.5
                         Upon scrutinizing the documents involving the
                      properties, petitioner discovered that the documents
                      covered rights over government properties. Realizing he
                      had been deceived, petitioner advised Metrobank to stop
                      payment of his checks. However, only the payment of
                      Check No. C-MA- 142119406-CA was ordered stopped. The
                      other two checks were already encashed by the payees.
                      _______________
                         4 Records, p. 22.
                         5 Id.
                                                                                         397
                                      VOL. 618, APRIL 19, 2010                           397
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                         Meanwhile, Lobitana negotiated and indorsed Check No.
                      C-MA- 142119406-CA to respondents in exchange for cash
                      in the sum of P948,000.00, which respondents borrowed
                      from Metrobank and charged against their credit line.
                      Before respondents accepted the check, they first inquired
                      from the drawee bank, Metrobank, Cebu-Mabolo Branch
                      which is also their depositary bank, if the subject check
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                      was sufficiently funded, to which Metrobank answered in
                      the positive. However, when respondents deposited the
                      check with Metrobank, Cebu-Mabolo Branch, the same was
                      dishonored by the drawee bank for reason “PAYMENT
                      STOPPED.”
                         Respondents filed a collection suit6 against petitioner
                      and Lobitana before the trial court. In their Complaint,
                      respondents alleged, among other things, that they are
                      holders in due course and for value of Metrobank Check
                      No. C-MA-142119406-CA and that they had no prior
                      information     concerning     the    transaction     between
                      defendants.
                         In his Answer, petitioner denied respondents’
                      allegations that “on the face of the subject check, no
                      condition or limitation was imposed” and that respondents
                      are holders in due course and for value of the check. For
                      her part, Lobitana denied the allegations in the complaint
                      and basically claimed that the transaction leading to the
                      issuance of the subject check is a sale of a parcel of land by
                      Vivencia Ompok Consing to petitioner and that she was
                      made a payee of the check only to facilitate its discounting.
                         The trial court ruled in favor of respondents and
                      declared them due course holders of the subject check,
                      since there was no privity between respondents and
                      defendants. The dispositive portion of the 14 March 1996
                      Decision of the trial court reads:
                          “In summation, this Court rules for the Plaintiff and against the
                      Defendants and hereby orders:
                      _______________
                         6 Docketed as Civil Case No. MAN-1843.
                                                                                               398
                      398           SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                         1.) defendants to pay to Plaintiff, and severally, the amount of
                             P1,000,000.00 representing the face value of subject Metrobank
                             check;
                         2.) to pay to Plaintiff herein, jointly and severally, the sum of
                             P101,748.00 for accrued and paid interest;
                         3.) to pay to Plaintiff, jointly and severally, moral damages in the
                             amount of P100,000.00;
                         4.) to pay to Plaintiff, jointly and severally, the sum of P200,000.00
                             for attorney’s fees; and
                         5.) to pay to Plaintiff, jointly and severally, litigation expenses in the
                             sum of P10,000.00 and costs of the suit.
                          SO ORDERED.”7
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                         Only petitioner filed an appeal. Lobitana did not appeal
                      the trial court’s judgment.
                                     The Ruling of the Court of Appeals
                         The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s finding
                      that respondents are holders in due course of Metrobank
                      Check No. C-MA-142119406-CA. The Court of Appeals
                      pointed out that petitioner’s own admission that
                      respondents were never parties to the transaction among
                      petitioner, Lobitana, Concordio Toring, Cecilia Villacarlos,
                      and Consing, proved respondents’ lack of knowledge of any
                      infirmity in the instrument or defect in the title of the
                      person negotiating it. Moreover, respondents verified from
                      Metrobank whether the check was sufficiently funded
                      before they accepted it. Therefore, respondents must be
                      excluded from the ambit of petitioner’s stop payment order.
                         The Court of Appeals modified the trial court’s decision
                      by deleting the award of interest, moral damages,
                      attorney’s fees and litigation expenses. The Court of
                      Appeals opined that petitioner “was only exercising
                      (although incorrectly), what he perceived to be his right to
                      stop the payment of the check
                      _______________
                         7 Rollo, p. 77.
                                                                                         399
                                      VOL. 618, APRIL 19, 2010                           399
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                      which he rediscounted.” The Court of Appeals ruled that
                      petitioner acted in good faith in ordering the stoppage of
                      payment of the subject check and thus, he must not be
                      made liable for those amounts.
                         In its 16 August 2005 Decision, the Court of Appeals
                      affirmed the trial court’s decision with modifications, thus:
                         “WHEREFORE, premises considered, finding no reversible
                      error in the decision of the lower court, WE hereby DISMISS the
                      appeal and AFFIRM the decision of the court a quo with
                      modifications that the award of interest, moral damages,
                      attorney’s fees and litigation expenses be deleted.
                         No pronouncement as to costs.
                         SO ORDERED.”8
                         In its 30 November 2005 Resolution, the Court of
                      Appeals denied petitioner’s motion for reconsideration.
                         In denying the petitioner’s motion for reconsideration,
                      the Court of Appeals noted that petitioner raised the
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                      defense that the check is a crossed check for the first time
                      on appeal (particularly in the motion for reconsideration).
                      The Court of Appeals rejected such defense considering
                      that to entertain the same would be offensive to the basic
                      rules of fair play, justice, and due process.
                         Hence, this petition.
                                                       The Issues
                            Petitioner raises the following issues:
                      I.     THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN HOLDING THAT THE
                            RESPONDENTS WERE HOLDERS IN DUE COURSE. THE FACT
                            THAT METROBANK CHECK NO. 142119406 IS A CROSSED
                            CHECK        CONSTITUTES       SUFFICIENT         WARNING   TO   THE
                            RESPONDENTS TO
                      _______________
                            8 Id., at p. 31.
                                                                                              400
                      400              SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                      EXERCISE   EXTRAORDINARY     DILIGENCE                                 TO
                      DETERMINE THE TITLE OF THE INDORSER.
                      II.     THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN DENYING PETITIONER’S
                            MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION UPON THE GROUND THAT
                            THE ARGUMENTS RELIED UPON HAVE ONLY BEEN RAISED
                            FOR THE FIRST TIME. EQUITY DEMANDS THAT THE COURT
                            OF APPEALS SHOULD HAVE MADE AN EXCEPTION TO
                            PREVENT THE COMMISSION OF MANIFEST WRONG AND
                            INJUSTICE UPON THE PETITIONER.9
                                               The Ruling of this Court
                         The petition is meritorious.
                         Respondents point out that petitioner raised the defense
                      that Metrobank Check No. C-MA-142119406-CA is a
                      crossed check for the first time in his motion for
                      reconsideration before the Court of Appeals. Respondents
                      insist that issues not raised during the trial cannot be
                      raised for the first time on appeal as it would be offensive
                      to the elementary rules of fair play, justice and due process.
                      Respondents further assert that a change of theory on
                      appeal is improper.
                         In his Answer, petitioner specifically denied, among
                      others, (1) Paragraph 4 of the Complaint, concerning the
                      allegation that on the face of the subject check, no condition
                      or limitation was imposed, and (2) Paragraph 8 of the
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                      Complaint, regarding the allegation that respondents were
                      holders in due course and for value of the subject check. In
                      his “Special Affirmative Defenses,” petitioner claimed that
                      “for want or lack of the prestation,” he could validly stop
                      the payment of his check, and that by rediscounting
                      petitioner’s check, respondents “took the risk of what might
                      happen on the check.” Essentially, petitioner maintained
                      that respondents are not holders in due course of the
                      subject check, and as such, respondents could not recover
                      any liability on the check from petitioner.
                      _______________
                         9 Id., at pp. 14-15.
                                                                                         401
                                      VOL. 618, APRIL 19, 2010                           401
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                          Indeed, petitioner did not expressly state in his Answer
                      or raise during the trial that Metrobank Check No. C-MA-
                      142119406-CA is a crossed check. It must be stressed,
                      however, that petitioner consistently argues that
                      respondents are not holders in due course of the subject
                      check, which is one of the possible effects of crossing a
                      check. The act of crossing a check serves as a warning to
                      the holder that the check has been issued for a definite
                      purpose so that the holder thereof must inquire if he has
                      received the check pursuant to that purpose; otherwise, he
                      is not a holder in due course.10 Contrary to respondents’
                      view, petitioner never changed his theory, that respondents
                      are not holders in due course of the subject check, as would
                      violate fundamental rules of justice, fair play, and due
                      process. Besides, the subject check was presented and
                      admitted as evidence during the trial and respondents did
                      not and in fact cannot deny that it is a crossed check.
                         In any event, the Court is clothed with ample authority
                      to entertain issues or matters not raised in the lower courts
                      in the interest of substantial justice.11 In Casa Filipina
                      Realty v. Office of the President,12 the Court held:
                      “[T]he trend in modern-day procedure is to accord the courts
                      broad discretionary power such that the appellate court may
                      consider matters bearing on the issues submitted for resolution
                      which the parties failed to raise or which the lower court ignored.
                      Since rules of procedure are mere tools designed to facilitate the
                      attainment of justice, their strict and rigid application which
                      would result in technicalities that tend to frustrate rather than
                      promote substantial justice, must always be avoided. Technicality
                      should not be allowed
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                      _______________
                         10 State Investment House v. Intermediate Appellate Court, G.R. No. 72764, 13
                      July 1989, 175 SCRA 310, 315.
                         11 Phil. Commercial & Industrial Bank v. Court of Appeals, 242 Phil. 497, 503-
                      504; 159 SCRA 24, 30 (1988). See also Ortigas, Jr. v. Lufthansa German Airlines,
                      159-A Phil. 863, 889; 64 SCRA 610; 683 (1975).
                         12 311 Phil. 170, 181; 241 SCRA 165, 174-175 (1995).
                                                                                                   402
                      402                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
                                                   Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                      to stand in the way of equitably and completely resolving the
                      rights and obligations of the parties.”13
                         Having disposed of the procedural issue, the Court shall
                      now proceed to the merits of the case. The main issue is
                      whether respondents are holders in due course of
                      Metrobank Check No. C-MA 142119406 CA as to entitle
                      them to collect the face value of the check from its drawer
                      or petitioner herein.
                         Section 52 of the Negotiable Instruments Law defines a
                      holder in due course, thus:
                          “A holder in due course is a holder who has taken the instrument
                      under the following conditions:
                         (a)    That it is complete and regular upon its face;
                         (b)    That he became the holder of it before it was overdue, and
                               without notice that it has been previously dishonored, if such was
                               the fact;
                         (c)    That he took it in good faith and for value;
                         (d)    That at the time it was negotiated to him, he had no notice of any
                               infirmity in the instrument or defect in the title of the person
                               negotiating it.”
                         In the case of a crossed check, as in this case, the
                      following principles must additionally be considered: A
                      crossed check (a) may not be encashed but only deposited in
                      the bank; (b) may be negotiated only once—to one who has
                      an account with a bank; and (c) warns the holder that it
                      has been issued for a definite purpose so that the holder
                      thereof must inquire if he has received the check pursuant
                      to that purpose; otherwise, he is not a holder in due
                      course.14
                      _______________
                         13 Id.
                         14 State Investment House v. Intermediate Appellate Court, supra note
                      10; Bataan Cigar and Cigarette Factory, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No.
                      93048, 3 March 1994, 230 SCRA 643, 648.
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                                                                                                     403
                                        VOL. 618, APRIL 19, 2010                                     403
                                                   Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                         Based on the foregoing, respondents had the duty to
                      ascertain the indorser’s, in this case Lobitana’s, title to the
                      check or the nature of her possession. This respondents
                      failed to do. Respondents’ verification from Metrobank on
                      the funding of the check does not amount to determination
                      of Lobitana’s title to the check. Failing in this respect,
                      respondents are guilty of gross negligence amounting to
                      legal absence of good faith,15 contrary to Section 52(c) of the
                      Negotiable Instruments Law. Hence, respondents are not
                      deemed holders in due course of the subject check.16
                         State Investment House v. Intermediate Appellate
                      Court17 squarely applies to this case. There, New Sikatuna
                      Wood Industries, Inc. sold at a discount to State
                      Investment House three post-dated crossed checks, issued
                      by Anita Peña Chua naming as payee New Sikatuna Wood
                      Industries, Inc. The Court found State Investment House
                      not a holder in due course of the checks. The Court also
                      expounded on the effect of crossing a check, thus:
                         “Under usual practice, crossing a check is done by placing two
                      parallel lines diagonally on the left top portion of the check. The
                      crossing may be special wherein between the two parallel lines is
                      written the name of a bank or a business institution, in which
                      case the drawee should pay only with the intervention of that
                      bank or company, or crossing may be general wherein between
                      two parallel diagonal lines are written the words “and Co.” or
                      none at all as in the case at bar, in which case the drawee should
                      not encash the same but merely accept the same for deposit.
                         The effect therefore of crossing a check relates to the mode of
                      its presentment for payment. Under Section 72 of the Negotiable
                      Instruments Law, presentment for payment to be sufficient must
                      be made (a) by the holder, or by some person authorized to receive
                      _______________
                         15 Vicente R. de Ocampo & Co. v. Gatchalian, No. L-15126, 30 November 1961,
                      3 SCRA 596, 603.
                         16 State Investment House v. Intermediate Appellate Court, supra note 10.
                         17 Id., at pp. 316-317.
                                                                                                     404
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                                                    Dino vs. Judal-Loot
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                      payment on his behalf x x x As to who the holder or authorized
                      person will be depends on the instructions stated on the face of
                      the check.
                         The three subject checks in the case at bar had been crossed
                      generally and issued payable to New Sikatuna Wood Industries,
                      Inc. which could only mean that the drawer had intended the
                      same for deposit only by the rightful person, i.e., the payee named
                      therein. Apparently, it was not the payee who presented the same
                      for payment and therefore, there was no proper presentment, and
                      the liability did not attach to the drawer.
                         Thus, in the absence of due presentment, the drawer did not
                      become liable. Consequently, no right of recourse is available to
                      petitioner against the drawer of the subject checks, private
                      respondent wife, considering that petitioner is not the proper
                      party authorized to make presentment of the checks in question.”
                         In this case, there is no question that the payees of the
                      check, Lobitana or Consing, were not the ones who
                      presented the check for payment. Lobitana negotiated and
                      indorsed the check to respondents in exchange for
                      P948,000.00. It was respondents who presented the subject
                      check for payment; however, the check was dishonored for
                      reason “PAYMENT STOPPED.” In other words, it was not
                      the payee who presented the check for payment; and thus,
                      there was no proper presentment. As a result, liability did
                      not attach to the drawer. Accordingly, no right of recourse
                      is available to respondents against the drawer of the check,
                      petitioner herein, since respondents are not the proper
                      party authorized to make presentment of the subject check.
                         However, the fact that respondents are not holders in
                      due course does not automatically mean that they cannot
                      recover on the check.18 The Negotiable Instruments Law
                      does not provide that a holder who is not a holder in due
                      course may not in any case recover on the instrument. The
                      only disadvantage of a holder who is not in due course is
                      that the negotiable
                      _______________
                         18 Bataan Cigar and Cigarette Factory, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, supra
                      note 14 at 649.
                                                                                           405
                                      VOL. 618, APRIL 19, 2010                            405
                                                 Dino vs. Judal-Loot
                      instrument is subject to defenses as if it were non-
                      negotiable.19 Among such defenses is the absence or failure
                      of consideration,20 which petitioner sufficiently established
                      in this case. Petitioner issued the subject check supposedly
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                       for a loan in favor of Consing’s group, who turned out to be
                       a syndicate defrauding gullible individuals. Since there is
                       in fact no valid loan to speak of, there is no consideration
                       for the issuance of the check. Consequently, petitioner
                       cannot be obliged to pay the face value of the check.
                          Respondents can collect from the immediate indorser,21
                       in this case Lobitana. Significantly, Lobitana did not
                       appeal the trial court’s decision, finding her solidarily liable
                       to pay, among others, the face value of the subject check.
                       Therefore, the trial court’s judgment has long become final
                       and executory as to Lobitana.
                          WHEREFORE, we GRANT the petition. We SET ASIDE
                       the 16 August 2005 Decision and 30 November 2005
                       Resolution of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CV No.
                       57994.
                          SO ORDERED.
                             Brion, Del Castillo, Abad and Perez, JJ., concur.
                           Petition granted, judgment and resolution set aside.
                          Notes.—If instruments payable to named payees or to
                       their order have not been indorsed in blank, only such
                       payees or their indorsees can be holders and entitled to
                       receive payment in their own right. (Bank of the Philippine
                       Islands vs. Court of Appeals, 534 SCRA 620 [2007]) 
                       _______________
                          19 Id., citing Chan Wan v. Tan Kim and Chen So, 109 Phil. 706 (1960).
                          20 Section 28, Negotiable Instruments Law.
                          21 Bataan Cigar and Cigarette Factory, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, supra.
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